Bukidnon Province — Northern Mindanao is set to highlight its growing technological capability and economic potential as it hosts the Northern Mindanao Regional Innovation Program and Expo (NorMinRIPE) 2026 in Valencia City, the “Pineapple Capital of Asia.”

Organized to translate science, technology and innovation into tangible economic progress, the event aims to provide a platform where ideas meet opportunities and partnerships are formed to accelerate regional development.

NorMinRIPE is spearheaded by the Regional Research, Development and Innovation Council X (RRDIC-X), with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Region X (DepDev-X) as lead convenor.

It is supported by the Department of Science and Technology Northern Mindanao, Department of Information and Communications Technology X, Department of Trade and Industry X, the Oro Chamber, and the Local Government Unit of Valencia City. These partners aim to ensure the event generates practical outcomes that benefit communities across the region.

For the first time since its launch in 2022, NorMinRIPE will be held in Bukidnon, a province recognized as a rising innovation hub where science and technology are already reshaping agriculture, resource management, and rural livelihoods.

The program also expands beyond agriculture, covering manufacturing, health, education and digital enterprise, reflecting Northern Mindanao’s increasingly diverse economy.

Key activities include recognition of high-impact innovations with strong commercial and development potential, exhibits featuring technologies and solutions ready for investor adoption, and knowledge-sharing sessions for MSMEs, farmers’ groups, startups, inventors, academe and students.